Lac La Nonne Enhancement and Protection Association

www.lepa-ab.com

An hour NW of Edmonton, south of the town of Barrhead

you’ll find the Lac La Nonne Watershed

This 300 km-square sub-shed of the Athabasca/Pembina river basin

consists of rolling farmland, aspen forest, streams, wetlands and lakes.

Including two of the regions recreational lakes Lac La Nonne & Nakamun Lake

around whose shorelines numerous subdivisions and 2 summer villages

make up the majority of the watershed population.

Concerns about declining water quality and quantity in the watershed

resulted in the launch of the Water Quality Assessment and Improvement Project

by the Lac La Nonne Enhancement & Protection Association in the spring of 2004

Which included the development of three on-farm riparian beneficial management practice demonstration sites.

Area Farm families were approached with the idea of sharing their land toDemonstrate different strategies for grazing livestock in riparian areas

(green zones of lush vegetation next to streams, lakes, ponds and wetlands)

The focus of these riparian BMP demonstration projects is to increase awarenessof how agricultural impacts on natural resources can be mitigated

through a combination of off-site water development, fencing and controlled grazing strategies

while maintaining the economical viability of the agricultural industry

managing livestock access to riparian areas can reduce nutrient inputs to surface waters and

provide critical rest to willows and native grasses during spring and fall

deep-rooted vegetation is important for maintaining healthy riparian areas

Kirchner

in 2004 Lac La Nonne Enhancement & Protection Association-LEPA

working together with Kirchner Farms established the first Riparian

Beneficial Management Practice Project south-east of Lac La Nonne

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to demonstrate the Improved Utilization and Sustainability

of watershed resources on productive agricultural property

PROJECT SITE IN RED

A riparian assessment on the property by Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society - Cows and Fish

identified the extent of damage to stream and riparian areas from some 50 years of livestock grazing

SITE IMPACTS

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Field staff from Agriculture & Agri-Food CanadaPrairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration

and Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural Developmentassisting volunteers and owner to layout project

activities

A shallow well was excavated to find a clean groundwater source adjacent to riparian zone

a 16 foot culvert was set in place

with washed gravel for a well casing resulting in a

good clean water source with

adequate flow for livestock

operation on the property

Solar panels, batteries and a

water pump were installed

and the immediate area fenced to protect

animals and equipment

A 1250 gallon tank with electric float-switch to control pump operation was placed on nearby hill for regulation of water flow

to livestock trough

Water distribution lines were buried between well, storage tank and watering trough by an agricultural member.

Plow supplied by PFRA

With assistance from landowner, a new fence and gates wereerected around stream wetlands creating a RIPARIAN pasture

Completing project, volunteers positioned 350 gallon livestock water trough to supply all three pastures as livestock is rotated

cattle being transferred to another pasture

Management of riparian areas by

seasonal livestock rotation

controlling grazing during

critical growing cycles – only

A working BMP demonstration

site

welltank

trough

2nd pasture

pasture #1

Riparianpasture

GRAZING STRATEGY

Cottagers and farmers worked side by side to achieve the first riparian management demonstration site in the region

PROJECT OUTCOMESRestoration of native riparian grasses, willow and shrubs to provide shelter and forage for livestock and wildlife

Tour

OnSeptember 22, 2004

area agricultural producers

and lake residents

were invited to tour Demonstration Project

and participate in

grande opening

George VanderBurg MLA Whitecourt/Lac Ste Anne (on right) and Harvey Thompson LEPA President unveil project signage

describing BMP development and operation to area cottagers and farmers

Alberta Agriculture and PFRA staff

measuring sustainability of riparian areas and natural pastureland presented by Cows and Fish (Alberta Riparian

Habitat Management Society)

Kirchner family and visitors viewing project components

A lunch and discussions on the Water Quality Assessment & Improvement Project and future BMP opportunities completed the tour

Wood

In financial partnership with John & Norma Wood

second Riparian Demonstration BMP Project was established in 2005

on Majeau creek, a major tributary feeding into Lac La Nonne

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This demonstration project involves two sites on the Wood farm

one spanning Majeau creek

the second a wetland feeding into creek

SITE IMPACTSArea #2 – overgrazing results in contaminants draining into area waters

from nearby uplands

Area #1 stream banks and bed devastated by years of

livestock foraging

Landowner in consultation with volunteers regarding riparian fence positioning along creek and wetlands

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

this included selecting a suitable location for a dugout adjacent to Area #2 wetlands

working around farming activities (haying - harvest) volunteers string barbwire through

pastures along Majeau Creek and wetlands

fence posts were installed by land owner for LEPA

some new recruits learning the ins and outs of fencing

was excavated after freeze up providing a 3-year water supply

A major aspect of this project was the development of an adequate water source, for this a 200 x 80 x 18 foot 4960 cubic yard dugout

contractor trenching channel for supply line to off-site well e/w solar system and water bowl to provide a safe access

to year round livestock watering source

a Job Well Done

Landowner and volunteers working together completed fencing dugout and off-site well the following spring

Solar powered, motion controlled winter watering system

an “all seasons” water source for a 60 cow/calf operation

providing a better alternate to seasonal use of stream course and drainage ponds

GRAZING STRATEGY

With a good, safe year-round water source, the plan is to leave the stream and riparian areas reestablish themselves

BMP OUTCOMES

sustaining Majeau Creek as a habitat for fish and

wildlife

reemergence of native plants - filtration for agricultural runoff

sediments and nutrients

DeZaeyer

working together to demonstrate that agriculture production and environment protection objectives can and do coexist

De Zaeyer Farms

In partnership with the Watersheds two Stewardship groupsthe Lac La Nonne

Watershed Stewardship Society

and

the Lac La Nonne Enhancement &

Protection Association

DEVELOPED THE

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aerial photo looking south with the new De Zaeyer demonstration site

Kirchner site in the foreground and Lac La Nonne South on right

hectares of watershed marsh and open pond at risk due to livestock

grazing and watering

SITE IMPACTS

volunteers from both watershed group with direction of supplier assembling windmill tower

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

21 foot tower nearly complete?

windmill assembly transported to site and volunteers prepare to erect unit on shallow well established

at edge of the pond riparian zone

temporary portable fencing setup

a difficult undertaking for volunteers

The completed 30 foot windmill c/w 8-foot aeromotor blades being erected using truck (behind bush) and guided with tractor

To facilitate raising and lowing of windmill assembly, a hinged platform was welded atop well casing

System pump & rods11/2” waterline

and 3” overflow drain-line from tank

attached to well

using PFRA plow landowner buries waterlines and tracer-wire below pasture grasses

Storage tank set on nearby hill and gravity-fed watering trough placed at lower level

Develop a environmentally friendly, clean water source as a better alternative to utilizing pond and marsh

GRAZING STRATEGY

PROJECT OUTCOMES Land owner preserving the bio-diversity of watershed wetlands for

wildlife and livestock

Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society - Cows and Fish conducted separate riparian health inventories of each project: one within the project area and another in an riparian area unaffected by agricultural activities. These inventories will be used as a monitoring tool for change on these ongoing Riparian Improvement Demonstration projects.

As of the summer of 2006 three BMP demonstration sites have been completed in the Lac La Nonne watershed. In all, four new riparian pastures totaling ~100 acres have been created to help manage livestock access to these sensitive areas. New eco water sources and distribution systems were developed at each site providing clean easily accessible water for the landowner’s livestock. It took 3 km of new fence line plus the cooperation, dedication and hard work of a core group of volunteers and technical personnel to achieve this.

Financial support was received from

Canadian Adaptation & Rural Development - CRP Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development – CAWFP

Alberta Stewardship NetworkAlberta Water for Life

Our thanks to:

DeZaeyer Farms, Kirchner Farms & the Wood FarmAlberta Agriculture and Food

Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada – Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration.

Alberta Riparian Habitat Management Society - Cows & FishLac La Nonne Watershed Stewardship Society

and Lac La Nonne Enhancement & Protection Association’s

volunteers forTheir Commitment, Support and Time

Our membership is comprised of local agricultural producers, recreational users, lake residents and resorts operators. LEPA's mandate is to preserve the biological integrity of the Lac La Nonne Watershed and to protect it from environmental damage. We encourage among our members and the public recognition of the importance of the sustainability of all natural areas.

“Working Harmoniously” to improve the health of the watershed; it’s waters and riparian areas.

Lac La Nonne Enhancement & Protection Association- a non-profit society established in 1983, now with charity status -

Site 1, Box 14, RR#1 Gunn, AB. T0E 1A0

www.lepa-ab.com

Photography courtesy of:o Sarah Depoe - Alberta Agriculture and Foodo Jason Vanrobaeys & Perry Sawchuk –AAFC/PFRA o Lorne Fitch & Kerri O’Shaughnessy - Cows and Fisho Jerry Wispinski – LWSSo Tim Clarke – LEPA

Project participating landowners granted LEPA permissionto use their projects and photos for this presentation

Produced & Narrated by: Tim Clarke

With assistance from: Gisel Bourgeois & Lorna MacFadzen

Technical support provided by: Kerri O’Shaughnessy - Cows and Fish